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Show v-. I. ;M ... , - - - 9 f - 1 i - j ! ;'"; - ; I i i ' r - ' I ' f f ' I '"' ' ' , 'I i . v ' i - ' Sue Mosier of the Escalante Chamber of Commerce located locat-ed Allysia Angus and Karen Munson, Escalante Main Street Committee members, while they were working on the beautification project. Sue gave them a check for more than $1300 which was raised through the sale of coverlets, cov-erlets, note cards, and calendars for the Main Street Project. The money will go toward the purchase of landscaping land-scaping rock and plants. Escalante's Main Street Project Nears Completion After Four Years Of Persistent Dedication ESCALANTE - Yet another southern Utah city is receiving a facelift as Escalante residents anticipate the completion of improvements along Main Street. The project began more than four years ago when a committee com-mittee formed for the purpose of beautifying the city's downtown blocks for the enjoyment of local residents as well as to encourage visitors traveling through the area to stop, enjoy the city, and patronize local businesses. The vision of the committee expanded with time and the issue of increased safety also became a key concern. A street light design and sidewalk improvement plan was added to the concepts for street trees, planting strips, and other amenities. ameni-ties. With these concepts and plans formulated, the Main Street Committee applied for a Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Enhancement Grant. After the UDOT grant was awarded, the required matching grant funding did not materialize and the project proj-ect was postponed for more than a year. Additional funding was secured in February 2001, and the project was rescheduled. Civil and lighting engineers from Richfield and a landscape architect from Boulder were contracted to complete the final design plans. Construction of the project began in October of this year and is scheduled for completion by Christmas, except for the installation of the shrubs and flowering plants which will go in next spring. Attempting to utilize the grant funding for the maximum benefit, the committee, along with city officials and other interested local citizens, decided to concentrate most of the enhancements on the blocks in the center of town while still providing necessary improvements improve-ments along the entire length of Main Street. Pedestrian-scale streetlights and trees will be installed from the high school on the east through to the west side of town. Streetlights to ' illuminate the intersections will be installed all along Main (See MAIN STREET on page 2) Main Street From Front Page Street. A new sidewalk will connect con-nect the existing sidewalk from the high school to the city sidewalk. side-walk. Planter boxes, planting strips, benches, and garbage receptacles will be installed on the downtown blocks. Several key aspects of the Escalante Main Street enhancement enhance-ment project make it unique when compared to traditional street design projects. The lighting light-ing chosen for this project is designed to minimize light pollution, pol-lution, preserve the rural atmosphere atmos-phere and protect nighttime skies. The light fixtures focus the light on the ground where people are walking or driving, instead of illuminating upward or outward. Recognizing Escalante's water concerns, the trees, shrubs, and flowering plants used in the streetscape design are drought-tolerant species that conform to Governor Leavitt's waterwise program. Most of the plants are also native to Utah and blend with the town's surroundings. The total cost of the enhancement enhance-ment project is $629,000, which was secured entirely through grant funding. The Main Street Committee is pleased with the progress and implementation of the design they have worked on for more than four years. The committee is gratified to see all the planning become an on-the-ground reality. |